Why the Church commands fasting and abstinence

Penance and subjection of the appetites.

In the index as Fasting · Abstinence · Age · Consecration · Electuaries · Gravity of sins · Lent · Lenten Fast · Liquids · Lord's day · Precepts of the Church · Smallness of matter · Time · Wine

In the manuals

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A Manual of Moral Theology for English-Speaking Countries

Thomas Slater, S.J.

Vol. I, Bk. VIII, Chapter II. Fasting and Abstinence, n. 1 — THERE are various reasons why the Church bids Catholics to fast and abstain from flesh meat on certain days. By these means we more easily keep our lustful appetites in due subjection and we do penance for our sins. Ther… Read in context →

Moral Theology: A Complete Course (McHugh & Callan)

John A. McHugh, O.P., and Charles J. Callan, O.P. — 2 passages

Vol. II, Pt. II, Q. III, Art. 1. The Duties of Members of the Church, Fasting, nn. 2588 & 2589 (2 passages — hover a number to read it)

Compendium of Moral Theology of Fr. John Peter Gury, S.J., with the Notes of Antonio Ballerini, S.J.

Jean-Pierre Gury, S.J.; notes by Antonio Ballerini, S.J. — 2 passages

Vol. I, Treatise On the Precepts o…, On the Sixth Precept of the Church, or On Ecclesiastical Fasting, n. 488 (2 passages — hover a number to read it)

Manuale Theologiae Moralis

Dominic M. Prümmer, O.P. — 3 passages

Vol. II, Tr. XIII, Ch. III, Art. I, § 1. On Fasting in General, nn. 650, 651 & 652 (3 passages — hover a number to read it)

Summa Theologiae Moralis

Benedict Henry Merkelbach, O.P. — 25 passages

Vol. II, Special Moral Theology: On…, Treatise: On the Cardinal …, Second Part: On the Virtue…, Question One: On Fasting According to Itself, nn. ¶1, 949, 950, 951, 952 & 953 (25 passages — hover a number to read it)

Palladium Theologicum, Tome V: On the Virtues

Gaudentius Bontempi of Brescia, O.F.M. Cap. — 38 passages

Tr. VI, Disputation I: On the Virt…, Q. VI, Sole Subquestion: On Fasting, Doubt III: Whether fasting itself is a good work, and of precept, nn. 1–38 (38 passages)

Treated under the broader heading Fasting and Abstinence — Wouters, Manual of Moral Theology · Bucceroni, Institutions of Moral Theology · Bucceroni, Moral Enchiridion · Bucceroni, Moral Enchiridion (4th ed., 1905) · Bucceroni, Cases of Conscience · Tanquerey · Koch–Preuss · Vermeersch, Theologia Moralis · Konings, Theologia Moralis · Sabetti-Barrett, Compendium of Moral Theology · Slater, Cases I · Spirago · 1917 Code of Canon Law · Decretum of Gratian and 1 more — these works do not divide the matter as finely as we do here, so their treatment stands one heading up (ed.)